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      12-24-2012, 07:15 PM   #8
stealth.pilot
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nybimmerfan View Post
A friend suggested 22PLE VX1 instead of Optiguard. I know Optiguard has been the standard and it seems that many have been satisfied with it. My friend who used to have Optiguard on his Porche and Bimmer has changed coatings and is a convert to 22PLE and swears by the results. He believes they (the results) are much better than what he got from Optiguard. Care to comment on this? I tried to search in this forum about 22PLE and there is only 1 short thread about it in "Aftermarket Installs in Houston".
I'm familiar with it.

22PLE is a product which Esoteric Detailing has introduced to the US market. Esoteric is run by one of the most respected detailers in the US.

However, everything I have read about the product, including the manufacturers own description and specs, suggest this product is virtually identical to the CQuartz nano-ceramic coating. I used this on my 550i and on my GS460, and here's my take:
1) Its is a very thin coating. You have to layer it to add durability and strength. I used 3 layers on my cars which means it takes a lot more labor to apply, and even then it had less microns of depth than a single coating of OptiGuard.
2) It may be glossier in finish. It's hard to be certain, but my sense is there is slightly more gloss from the nano-ceramic coatings.
3) It doesn't provide as much protection. When the paint marring builds up (as it will eventually even with these coatings) you will need to polish it and then reapply the coating. In the nano-ceramic coatings you will lose some clearcoat to do this just like you would with a wax or sealant. With OptiCoat you won't because the Opticoat/Optiguard is thick enough to act as a sacrificial clear coat.
4) Optiguard and CQuartz have been around longer and there are cars that have been using it for 4 years. 22PLE doesn't have the track record, so their claims of durability are not yet proven.

All this said, I don't think it matters which you use. If I were choosing I would likely use CQuartz Finest or OptiGuard, but I would equally be willing to defer to the installer if he doesn't have experience with these products.
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